Echeveria x Graptopetalum plant named ‘AMIECH2002’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Echeveria  x  Graptopetalum  plant named ‘AMIECH2002’ which is characterized by a relatively small foliage that is tightly held in a compact basal rosette, moderately glaucous foliage with a greyed-green general appearance, mature foliage that is tipped and narrowly margined with a mixture of yellow-green and grey-brown, and the stability of these characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is ECHEVERIA x GRAPTOPETALUM elegans Rose (syn. E. albicans) x Graptopetalum filiferum (S. Watson) J. Whitehead.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Echeveria x Graptopetalum disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘AMIECH2002’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Community Plant Variety Rights application number 2021/0006, filed Jan. 4, 2021, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘AMIECH2002’ is an intergeneric hybrid seedling selection resulting from the controlled pollination of an Echeveria elegans ‘Brown Rose’ plant (not patented), the seed parent, with an unnamed Graptopetalum filiferum plant (not patented), the pollen parent. The crossing was made by the inventor in the summer of 2016 at a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. In the summer of 2018, one seedling was observed which exhibited unique growth and foliage characteristics. The seedling was isolated for further evaluation in order to confirm the distinctness and stability of the characteristics first observed. Upon confirmation of distinctness and stability, ‘AMIECH2002’ was selected for commercialization.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘AMIECH2002’, by way of rooting leaf cuttings, was first initiated in the spring of 2018 at the inventor's commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Through three subsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘AMIECH2002’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘AMIECH2002’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘AMIECH2002’ as a new and distinct Echeveria x Graptopetalum cultivar:

-   -   1. ‘AMIECH2002’ exhibits a small, compact basal rosette of         tightly held foliage; and     -   2. ‘AMIECH2002’ exhibits relatively small, broad obovate foliage         with a mucronate apex; and     -   3. ‘AMIECH2002’ exhibits juvenile and mature foliage which is         covered with greyed-green epicuticular wax that gives the         foliage a greyed-green appearance; and     -   4. ‘AMIECH2002’ exhibits yellow-green to green mature foliage         that is narrowly margined yellow-green and tipped with a mixture         of yellow-green and grey-brown.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘AMIECH2002’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 20 week-old, shown planted in an 8.5 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage arrangement of ‘AMIECH2002’.

FIG. 3 illustrates; as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘AMIECH2002’.

FIG. 4 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘AMIECH2002’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in June of 2021 describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 20 week-old ‘AMIECH2002’ plants grown in 8.5 cm nursery containers at commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Plants were produced using conventional greenhouse production protocols for Echeveria x Graptoptalum plants which consisted of minimal irrigation and fertilizer applications, and chemical pest and disease control measures against mealy bug and Botrytis as required. Plants were grown under approximately 50 percent shade after propagation and later exposed to full sun once they began to mature. No photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘AMIECH2002’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘AMIECH2002’ and comparisons with the parent plants and closest known comparator are provided below.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Succulent perennial with foliage growing in a             non-branched basal rosette.         -   Plant shape.—Flattened globular.         -   Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—4.4 cm.         -   Plant spread.—Average of 9.7 cm.         -   Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous.         -   Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings. Time to initiate rooting             — Approximately 21 days at 18 degrees Celsius. Crop time —             Approximately 25 weeks to produce a marketable plant in an             8.5 cm container.         -   Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither             resistance nor susceptibility to typical Echeveria pests and             diseases has been observed.         -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10             to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;             moderate tolerance to rain yet drought tolerant once             established; high tolerance to wind. -   Root system:     -   -   General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots. -   Stems:     -   -   Branching habit.—Leaves in a non-branching basal rosettes;             no main branches or lateral branches present. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette.         -   Division.—Simple.         -   Attachment.—Sessile.         -   Quantity.—Approximately 35 leaves per rosette.         -   Shape.—Broad obovate.         -   Dimensions.—4.4 cm long, 3.0 cm wide, and 0.55 cm thick, on             average.         -   Aspect.—Slightly concave with leaf tips slightly curled             upward at an approximate angle of 20 degrees to the lamina.         -   Attitude.—Juvenile foliage at the center of the rosette is             held upright; foliage becomes progressively more relaxed             towards the outer whorls of mature foliage.         -   Apex.—Mucronate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire; margins are not undulate.         -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the adaxial             surface.—Smooth, glabrous, and moderately glaucous.         -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the abaxial             surface.—Smooth, glabrous, and moderately glaucous.         -   Luster of the adaxial surface.—Moderately glossy.         -   Luster of the abaxial surface.—Moderately glossy.         -   Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to             a RHS NN137A, and fading to yellow-green towards the base,             nearest to RHS 145C; narrowly margined with a translucent             yellow-green, nearest to RHS 147D; tipped with a slightly             darker shade of yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146D. The             epicuticular glaucous wax covering the leaf surface is             greyed-green, nearest to RHS 189B. Juvenile foliage, abaxial             surface — Greyed-green, nearest to a RHS 191A, and fading to             yellow-green towards the base, nearest to RHS 145C; narrowly             margined with a translucent yellow-green, nearest to RHS             145B; tipped with a slightly darker shade of yellow-green,             nearest to RHS 146D. The epicuticular glaucous wax covering             the leaf surface is greyed-green, nearest to RHS 189B.             Mature foliage, adaxial surface — Nearest to a mixture of             green and yellow-green, RHS NN137A and 147A, and fading to             yellow-green towards the base, nearest to RHS 147C; narrowly             margined yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144B; margins lightly             suffused with a mixture of yellow-green and grey-brown             towards the apex, nearest to RHS 152B and 199B; tipped with             a mixture of yellow-green and grey-brown, nearest to RHS             152B and 199B. The epicuticular glaucous wax covering the             leaf surface is greyed-green, nearest to RHS 189B. Mature             foliage, abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS             147B, and fading to a lighter shade of yellow-green towards             the base, nearest to RHS 147D; narrowly margined             yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144B; tipped with a mixture of             yellow-green and grey-brown, nearest to RHS 152B and 199B.             The epicuticular glaucous wax covering the leaf surface is             greyed-green, nearest to RHS 189B. Venation, adaxial surface             — No visible venation. Venation, abaxial surface — No             visible venation.         -   Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile. -   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANTS AND CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMIECH2002’ differ from the seed parent, an Echeveria elegans ‘Brown Rose’ plant (not patented), in the following characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘AMIECH2002’ ‘Brown Rose’ Foliage margin Glabrous. Ciliate. pubescence. General coloration Green with greyed-green Green and strongly of the mature epicuticular wax with suffused with greyed- foliage. gives the foliage a greyed- red to greyed-purple. green appearance.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMIECH2002’ differ from the pollen parent, an unnamed Graptopetalum filiferum plant (not patented), in the following characteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘AMIECH2002’ The seed parent. Plant size. Larger than the Smaller than seed parent. ‘AMIECH2002’. Foliage length. Shorter than the seed Longer than parent. ‘AMIECH2002’. Foliage apex. Short mucronate tip, Acuminate and colored with a mixture tipped with a of yellow-geen and fine red filament. grey-brown. Foliage thickness. Thinner than the Thicker than seed parent. ‘AMIECH2002’.

COMPARISONS WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMIECH2002’ differ from the closest known commercial comparator, x Pachyveria ‘AMIECH1621’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 33,280), in the following characteristics described in Table 3 below.

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘AMIECH2002’ ‘AMIECH1621’ Plant size. Smaller than Larger than ‘AMIECH1621’. ‘AMIECH2002’. Foliage shape. Broad obovate. Narrow obovate. Foliage size. Smaller than Larger than ‘AMIECH1621’. ‘AMIECH2002’. General coloration Yellow-green to green Yellow-green to greyed- of the mature and covered with green and moderately foliage. greyed-green epicuticular covered with lighter wax that gives the foliage greyed-green epicuticular a greyed-green wax that gives the foliage appearance a blue-grey appearance. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Echeveria x Graptopetalum plant named ‘AMIECH2002’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 